Kevin Love had been the main topic of discussion for most NBA fans these last few days, but that is no longer the case. LeBron James decided to opt out of his contract with the Miami Heat and has become an unrestricted free agent. The Warriors aren’t rumored to be in the hunt to sign James, but a division rival could have a real shot at landing the King.
While many believe the Heat will be able to re-sign the four time NBA MVP, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Los Angeles Clippers could be an intriguing possibility for James:
The most intriguing move on the mind of James and his camp, sources told Yahoo Sports, would be a sign-and-trade scenario with the Los Angeles Clippers in which James could play with close friend Chris Paul and under president-coach Doc Rivers. Nevertheless, Miami has remained the primary consideration for James, sources said. He wants to see Riley’s plans for improving the roster.
The Clippers already have two All-Stars in Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, the addition of James would easily make them the favorites to win the NBA title next year. Don’t get too excited Clipper fans, a lot would have to go the Clippers way for LeBron to land in Los Angeles. The Heat are the clear favorites in this chase, but on the off chance that James does want to take his talents to the Staples Center, Pat Riley would have to approve a sign-and-trade with the Clippers and that is unlikely.
Chris Paul is considered to be one of James’ closest friends and with Doc Rivers at the helm, James could make a smooth transition to Los Angeles. If Riley did approve a deal with the Clippers, it would likely be a package centered around DeAndre Jordan. The two-time NBA champ will meet with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh before he makes his decision. Pat Riley will also get a chance to talk to James and try to lure him back to South Beach. With numerous NBA teams already lining up with their best sales pitch, it will be interesting to see how James handles free-agency this time around.